Over my and Mrs. Sip’s many travels, I’ve been presented the opportunity to try a wide variety of foods, including items you would rarely see on a North American menu. Here are some of the more unique nibbles I’ve had in my life:
Minke Whale/Puffin
As part of a tasting meal in Reykjavik, Iceland, Mrs. Sip and I were served dishes of Minke Whale and Puffin. The whale was delicious, although we felt a little guilty through each enjoyable bite. The puffin, on the other hand, was too salty and not very good, despite being plated in a blueberry Brennivin (the official spirit of Iceland) sauce.
Kangaroo
On an all-day wine tour of Australia’s Barossa Valley, our guide treated us to a delicious picnic feast, main-evented by perfectly done kangaroo in a red wine sauce. Mrs. Sip and I were pretty tipsy by the time lunch was served, so we happily gobbled up this rare offering. The funny thing is, for the rest of our stay in Australia, we got the feeling other kangaroos we encountered knew we had eaten some of their brethren and were out for vengeance.
Caterpillars
Upon arriving in Zambia, Mrs. Sip and I went to dinner with the owner of our hotel. His recommendation, as we tried some local beers and put some food in our stomachs, was deep fried caterpillar. I was game to give it a chance and after one, I couldn’t stop popping the little bugs into my mouth. Perhaps it was jetlag or the beers adding up that helped with getting my mind past the thought of eating caterpillars. The barbecue sauce drizzle didn’t hurt either!
Kudu/Springbok
Later in that trip, we shared a multi-meat platter with others in our tour group, which included Kudu and Springbok, both members of the antelope family. We also tried – and very much enjoyed – various types of biltong, which is the Southern African version of beef jerky. Kudu and Springbok were also used for these meats.
Snail
I’ve come to love escargot, after first sampling the delicacy in France, plucked right out of a shell with a toothpick. It’s preferable that the dish comes baked in cheese, with the snails soaked in garlic butter underneath, but I’ll take the little garden guys with a simple oil flavour if that’s how they’re being served. Heck, I’m not very picky.
Rattlesnake
On a Southwest U.S. family road trip when I was seven, we stopped at one eatery that offered fried rattlesnake. Given my fear of snakes, I was very hesitant to try the… delicacy (!?), but eventually willed myself to take a quick bite. Yep, it tasted like chicken! For our bravery, we received a certificate highlighting the feat, as well as a piece of the rattlesnake’s bones.
Alligator/Crocodile
I’ve had alligator/crocodile in a couple situations. While the meat wouldn’t rank high on my preferred eats list, I can’t say the experience was bad either. I remember first having alligator as a teenager, while my family visited New Orleans. We had just completed a bayou boat tour, so were ready to eat our foes from the water.
Frog
On one of our earliest cruises, as Mrs. Sip and I tried to shake off the picky eater reputations we had rightfully been given, frog legs was on the menu at dinner. While I ordered something else, we expressed our curiosity to the server, who said he’d bring a serving our way to try. I didn’t really like them, so haven’t tried them again since.
Cocktail Corner: Caterpillar
- 1.5 oz Bourbon
- Top with Grape Juice
- Dash of Angostura Bitters
- Garnish with Lime Slices
I’m not sure if there’s any animals out there I’ve yet to eat that I particular want to cross off my foodie bucket list. Mrs. Sip once tried pigeon at a Michelin star restaurant of all places. While I think I’d enjoy eating an arch nemesis of mine, I can’t get over the fact pigeons are winged rats.
Sip Advisor 